


A Warden lies

by EmilesGraveyard (Emile)



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Genre: F/F, F/M, Felix is a dream walker, M/M, Multi, Tabris doesn't take shit from no-one, background Zevran Arainai/Sten, one-sided Male Lavellan/Cullen Rutherford, past Cullen Rutherford/Raleigh Samson, past Leliana/Female Tabris, past Zevran Arainai/Male Mahariel/Sten
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 20:49:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7136561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emile/pseuds/EmilesGraveyard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“I will find a way to fix this, Felix,” Dorian promised, his expression turning grim again, Felix gave an understanding nod, folding his free hand around theirs “Just don't become like the men you are running away from.”</i>
</p><p> </p><p>Dorian sets off on a mission to cure Felix from the Blight, but this might not be as simple as he had intentionally hoped. But help might come from unexpected places.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Warden lies

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mechanicaljewel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mechanicaljewel/gifts), [lekosis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lekosis/gifts).



> Originally started for [](http://havesomegin.tumblr.com/post/140541760663/teamblueandangry-fenhanders-week-2016-march)[Dragon Age Alternative Pairing Appreciation Week](http://havesomegin.tumblr.com/post/145257716533/a-guide-to-dragon-age-alternative-pairing), but (as proven by [Thorned](http://archiveofourown.org/works/6384595/chapters/14620654)) the idea will probably run away from me. I'm also gifting it to these people because their Tumblr posts have given me this idea!
> 
> The story is a little rushed, especially at the beginning, because I was set on publishing at least the first chapter in time for the last day of the week. I succeed!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But you can't always save everyone, can you? _Life is no fairy tale!_ Stop being a child and wake the fuck up! He has the blight, he will die. There's no cure.”
> 
> Dorian shrunk, feeling dread and grief overcome him. _There was no cure..._ But then, Tabris continued less angry, softer “Even if he becomes a Warden, it would just be delaying the inevitable.”

The last day he spend in the Alexius household, he had seated himself next to Felix's bed, Dorian's tanned wrapped around his sickly pale ones and his forehead resting against their intertwined fingers. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't warm him anymore. Felix had send him a sad smile “You're much too pretty to cry, Dorian.” he teased, his voice too weak and shaky. He felt Dorian's grip tightening for a short moment, but the man soon let out a forced laugh and sat up to smile at his dear friend.

“I will find a way to fix this, Felix,” Dorian promised, his expression turning grim again, Felix gave an understanding nod, folding his free hand around theirs “Just don't become like the men you are running away from.”

He had promised he would not return without the cure and left for the harsh trip to Weisshaupt.

 

Dorian had walked up to the gate, using his usual mask of arrogance and boyish charm. He knocked the wooden door, but there was no initial response. When he knocked again, there was a soft twang of arrows being pulled back against their bowstring. His fist tightened, but he didn't reach for his weapon. “We would both benefit of this situation more if you keep me alive.”

A woman scoffed, right next to his ear, and Dorian turned around with jerky movement, trying very hard to keep his flamboyant air. It made her chuckle and aim her weapon down. “And _what_ benefit would I gain from keeping you alive, exactly?” she asked, he gaze sharp like daggers.

The Warden in front of him was short and stocky, wore a a thorn and bloody uniform, a ragged promise band around her wrist and a wedding ring around her finger. Dorian couldn't help but to look her over for a second time, his eyes focusing on the long thin ears showing through her curly hair. An elf.

“Where is your Master?” he asked, not knowing any better. The elf raised her bow and pulled back the arrow, aiming for his chest “I would be very careful if I were you.” she warned, flipping her hair out of her face and revealing a jarred scar on the side of her face “I am _not_ afraid to _fight_ for my freedom.”

Dorian swallowed thickly, taking a step back “I meant no disrespect,” he respond defensively “It's just that- I have never seen a free elf before.”

She lowered her weapon again, squinting her eyes with a combination of curiosity and wariness. Who was this man? And why had he come all the way over here? He came from Tevinter, given his fancy clothes, ridiculous accent and the fact he had only seen elves in slavery before.

Ugh. Not again.

Before she could shoot her arrow though, a thundering voice ordered the gates to be opened and the elf had to suppress her urge to flinch. Instead, she fell back into a salute. “Warden Commander Caron,” Tabris saluted, then relaxed and gestured to Dorian with a nod “We have a guest.”

“I was made aware,” he hummed, with his messy ginger hair and dark rings around his gray eyes, he was looking incredibly tired “Have you asked why he's here?”

Dorian let out an indignant huff “Don't talk about me like I'm not here.” His words made both Warden looked -no, the elf _glared_ \- his way, but Dorian refused to shrink back “I was brought here in my journey to find a cure for the blight.”

 

Dorian had been surprised that the Warden Commander -Arish Caron, he had learned- had actually allowed him in the building. The man had lead him through the halls, where he was met with wary glances, and had quietly swung the library door open for him.

“I just hope you will find more than I.” Arish answered the unasked question, looking at the floor “If there's even a chance you could- We need to take it. Do you understand? You cannot fail.”

He pat the shorter man's shoulder with one of his most dashing smiles.

“If anyone can do it, I can.”

 

Two nights and a day later, Dorian was still hunched over the scrolls and parchments the Warden had stored, now clutching at his mushed hair and closing his eyes in exhaustion. So many hidden secrets, so many parts of the library burned with the dead of the Hero of Ferelden. You could easily find romantic stories about the heroic man and the two men he loved, but when it came to his past, it was shrouded in mystery.

He was almost sure that the answer laid somewhere there. Hidden from anyone to see.

“You're still here,” a familiar voice said, both surprised and annoyed “I expected you to have ran off with your tail between your legs by now.” Tabris walked in, her first name -or anything about her, really- was still a mystery to him. Yet another mystery... Dorian groaned.

She leaned at the table and looked over his shoulder, looking at the scribbling that was unreadable to her. “I don't understand how any of this could possibly help.”

“Please, if you got nothing else to say, just leave.”

“No.” she insist, there was frustration, anger, Tabris slammed her fist to th table. One of her daggers now dug deeply in the wood of the table. “I have to know. _Why_ is this so important to you? Why won't you just give up already?”

Dorian looked at the ring around her finger again, then at the woman herself “Wouldn't you do anything you could to save your partner?” he asked, answered. Tabris visibly started, regaining distance so fast her back slammed against the bookcase next to her. She nearly growled, like a cornered animal.

_"Well, here we are. Are you nervous?"_

_"I was until I saw you."_

_"I'll spend every waking moment learning to make you happy."_

Tabris pressed the palm of her hand to her lips to stop a sob from coming out, the image of Nelaros being stabbed to dead still burned into her memory. He had loved her, despite knowing her for less than a day. He had come for her. And she had come to love him back, despite death keeping them apart.

 

Dorian looked up at her, a worried expression edging his face. It made her see red. Because _no_ , he wasn't allowed to look at her like that. No one was.

She dropped her shaky hand and glared at him now, tears threatening to escape her eyes “I would have.” Tabris admit, voice full of anger and frustration, her use of past tense told Dorian enough to know he had made an enormous ass of himself “If I could have, I would have!” she was yelling now, throwing it in his face.

“But you can't always save everyone, can you? _Life is no fairy tale!_ Stop being a child and wake the fuck up! He has the blight, he will die. There's no cure.”

Dorian shrunk, feeling dread and grief overcome him. _There was no cure..._ But then, Tabris continued less angry, softer “Even if he becomes a Warden, it would just be delaying the inevitable.”

He looked up “I would do _anything_ , even if it's just for one more hour.” Dorian admit, his eyes more open and honest than they had been for a long time. “Please, tell me more.”

“There's no one here who can help you.” Tabris admit, letting out a sigh and leaning against the table in defeat. Despite her outburst, she was starting to feel herself _rooting_ for this man. But all Darkspawn had fled to the South, to Ferelden, so it was impossible for them to perform the Joining. Her eyes lit up in realization “Anything, you say...”

Dorian gave a wide-eyed nod.

Tabris took a map, looking it over and tracing land borders with her finger, trying to remember “Last time I heard of a Warden who could take recruits in Ferelden was many years ago. It's a hunch, but-” she swallowed thickly and met eyes with the hopeful man “If anyone can recruit someone right now, it's him.” Tabris scratched a cross into the map with a twirl of her dagger “His name is Gordon Blackwall. The last we heard of him was from the Storm Coast. Ferelden.”

He looked over the map, then looked at Tabris “Thank you.” his voice was warm and his smile made her heart ache. Tabris wished she could somehow smile the same again, one day. “No problem,” she insist “Just come here and hand our Commander your findings once you figured out an actual cure.”

Dorian gave her a nod and she hurried out as fast as she could, collapsing against the wall and twirling at the wedding ring around her finger as she tried to control her breathing. She crumbled when no one was watching “Creators, have mercy on them.” she prayed, kissing the ring on her finger.

Arish had heartily send Dorian on his way later that night, but there had been no sight of Tabris anywhere. Holding the map tightly in his hands.

 

On his way to Ferelden, Felix came to him in his dreams. He had done so many times, but it had never felt as _real_... “I'm dying,” Felix had whispered “Dorian, come back to me. My father is losing himself in his search, and I can't-” there were flashes of light as the waves rocked Dorian around in his sleep.

“Are you real?” Dorian asked, reaching out in his dream, his magic reaching for the fade. They touched for a brief moment. “How?” he asked, but Felix shook his head, having no time to answer “Find me, Dorian. Fi-- -e in Re---iffe.”

 _He was fading!_ Dorian tried to reach again, but Felix's magic wasn't strong enough to keep their connection. He woke up with a gasp, hugging the hand that had briefly touched his lover to his chest. He had been so cold... he shakily breathe against his cold hand as if it would warm Felix himself.

Dorian overlooked the map Tabris gave him, tracing his finger over the path he had written out for himself. His finger stuck at the cross for a moment and he quietly cursed himself. Finding Blackwall could be the only chance he had on saving him, but Felix needed him _now_.

 


End file.
